Join this day of hands-on learning and gain insights into designing places that are biodiverse, sustainable and functional. Using London’s Olympic Park landscapes and regeneration areas as a living classroom, we’ll explore best practice in designing compact neighbourhoods, sustainable movement networks and nature-rich public spaces.

This training is ideal for masterplanners, architects, landscape architects, developers, planners, policy-makers and those interested in well-designed places. 

By the end of the day, you’ll have practical skills to analyse urban form, draw meaningful lessons from the city around you, and apply those insights to design better, more connected, and more vibrant places.

The training is co-lead by EcoResponsive Environments and Green Urbanist.

Study Tour (10:00 - 13:00)

The morning begins with a guided study tour around the world-famous Olympic regeneration areas and landscapes. We’ll discuss the lessons learned from this unique place and how the design principles can be applied in other contexts.

Masterplanning Workshop (14:00 - 17:00)

After the lunch break, we’ll spend the afternoon at a local venue applying the lessons learned through practical exercises. We’ll explore the Ecoresponsive Environments framework for designing places that work with nature. You’ll then work in groups on a design exercise for a real site so you can experience this approach to urban design first-hand. The best way to learn is through experience and practice! 

What You'll Learn

By the end of the day you’ll have a firm grasp of these topics:

• Starting with nature in the design process.

• Working with landscape elements to create healthy, biodiverse and resilient places.

• Block structure and layout for residential and mixed use developments.

• Integrating green and blue infrastructure with built form.

• Street networks and sustainable transport.

• Designing public open spaces that are successful, animated and climate-resilient.

• Placemaking and experiential design.

• Detailed design considerations to create safe, lively and functional places.